Record number of Oregon students proficient enough to move out of English-learning programs

View full sizeFaith Cathcart / The OregonianMinter Bridge first-grade teacher, Carolyn Claridge, takes her students through a Spanish-language exercise. The students, a mix of Spanish and English speakers, receive instruction in both languages. The state rated districts across Oregon on their ability to teach their English learners how to read, write and speak English.

A record 10,379 students across Oregon who speak English as their second language were deemed proficient in English last school year.

But another 55,000 English language learners who speak 100 different languages are not yet proficient and school districts face increasing requirements for those students to meet federal standards.

Several districts improved last year including Portland and Hillsboro, which made gains in several areas. Reynolds and Forest Grove lost ground.

The state report measures more than students leaving the program; it also looks at their progress toward mastering English, as well as their academics.

The data are largely taken from state tests that assess the students' ability to speak, read, listen and write.

Districts must meet three targets to receive a "met" on the report – few do. No district with substantial numbers of language learners in the Portland area met all three targets last year.

Target one requires 53 percent of the students to move up one level of proficiency, but, on average, Oregon districts fell short by 3 percentage points.

Most districts met the second target, which has two parts -- 15.5 percent of students must reach proficiency and exit the program, which includes students fresh from African refugee camps as well as those from Asian urban settings. It also requires 24 percent of language learners to reach proficiency in five years or more.

But only 23 school districts met the third target: reaching Adequate Yearly Progress standards for their language learners, which assesses their abilities in math and reading.

Ten years ago, 44,000 Oregon students were enrolled in English language Development programs. Last year, it was 65,618 -- a 49 percent increase.

Districts receive an additional $3,000 per student from the state for each English language learner. The federal government adds about $150 per student.

Districts continue to seek out the best methods to reach their language learners, which range from pulling out students and working on their language skills to dual immersion, which teaches classrooms of students -- native English speakers and non-native speakers -- in English and another language, usually Spanish, throughout the day.

Salem-Keizer, Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro are among the districts that offer dual immersion.

In Hillsboro, Travis Reiman, director of English Language and migrant programs, swears by dual language, which is offered at W.L. Henry and Minter Bridge elementaries.

"We're seeing kids achieve English proficiency but we're also seeing kids improve in reading and math proficiency," he said.

Hillsboro Superintendent Mike Scott started a gathering of superintendents, called the ELL Collaborative, about two years ago to take a closer look at English language programs and state policies.

"Looking at the results of our English language learners, it was very clear that as a district and state we all faced similar challenges," Scott said

Members include superintendents from Portland, Salem-Keizer, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Forest Grove and Tigard-Tualatin.

Salem-Keizer Superintendent Sandy Husk said she believes it's making a difference.

"Any time you're dealing with a changing demographic, there is a lot of power in coming together," Husk said.

The districts have learned from the experiences of the others in dealing with different cultures as well as languages. Beaverton, for example, has a number of students from Somalia, many from refugee camps.

But Husk said the collective also helped with proposed policy changes at the state level, involving Oregon's interpretation of the federal regulations related to English language learners.

Meanwhile, Hillsboro has learned from Salem-Keizer how much it likes teaching bilingually and plans to expand the programs in its district.

"We now understand what the best instruction is around English language learners," Scott said.